Loose-leaf binder.



J. G. GRIESINGER.

LOOSEVLEAF BINDER. PPLIoATloH rxLnD APRA. 1910.

Patented Jan. 24, 1911.

J. G. GRIESINGER.

Loosr; LEAF BINDER.

APPLICATION PI'LED APR. 4. 1910. 982,593, Patented Jan.24, 1911.

2 BHEETSSHEBT 2.

UNITED STATES OFFICE;

JOI-IN Gr. GRIESINGER. O1? LOS ANGELES. CALIFORNIA. ASSIGNOR TO WESTERN LOOS- LEAF MANUFACTURING COMFANY, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION 0F CALIFORNIA.

LOOSEsLEAF BINDER.

Speccation of Letters Patent.` Patented Jal). 24, v1911.

Application filed April 4, 1910. Serial No. 553,171.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, .lor-IN G. Gnlmsrnonn, a citizen ot the -United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county ci Los Angeles and State ot' California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Loose-Leaf Binders, of which the 'following is a specification.

My invention relates to loose-leaf binders. TheI invention consists of the parts and the construction and con'ibination of parts as hereinafter more fully described and claimed, having| reference to the yaccompanying drawings, in Which-- Figure 1 is a perspective view broken away, showing' the invention.l Fig. f3 is a similar View showing the tclescoping tubes. Fig. 3 is another perspective showing thc locking mechanism. Fig. 4, is an enlarged section ot' the locking mechanism. Fig. 5 shows a modified form of construction. Fig. 6 is an er'ilarged section of the locking' mechanism, shown in Fig. 5.

In Figs. l. to l, representinf.;- the gravity lock binder, A and 4B indicate` respectively, the top and bottom covers ot a loose-lentl book or other device to which the invention is applicable. Flach ot these cover members has a respective, rigid back strip -t) ilexiblyconnectcd with its cover,as shown at 2, to enable the back to be opened out for use.

The bottom cover strip b carries a tubular stud 3 telcscoping within a corresponding tubular stud or post #l on the opposed top cover strip a. The outer end of the tube J is cut away on a bevel or diagonal, as shown at 5, and opposite this diagonal cnt-away space 5, and Within and secured to tube 2 5 near its open end, is a wedge (3 thickest at its outer end, which wedge is adapted to coact with a ball or equivalent wedging member 7 carried within the sleeve 3. Laying the book with the cover A downward and with tube 3 pointing upward, theball 7 drops by gravity into tube 3 and away from the wedge (3, releasing the two sleeves B--et and allowing the book to be opened. Rever-sing the book, so that it restson cover B, with tube 3 uppermost and pointing downward, the ball drops by gravity into the open space 5 and cooperates with wedge (3 and tube t to bind the covers together. Thus the binding ot' the book is locked and unlocked by the combined action of gravity and sufficient pressure. Ordinarily when the parts are locked together there is no danger ot' their being accidentally unlocked. Furthermore, this means provides a form of secret lock, the nature ot' which is nota parent from an inspection of the outsi e' of the book, and unless one knows how to unlock the book, it is safe against being tampered with. There may be any .number of? these locking devices used in a book, and the sleeves or tubular studs l-- may be of any appropriate size or length. In Fig. I, l have show u one ot' these locking devices midway between two telescoping tabular guides S 4), with a spring l() acting normally to press 4these 'guides apart; these springs likewise tending to move the two sleeves B--l in opposite directions, so that when the ball 7 is released by pressing the backs together with the tube 3 inverted, and then releasing the pressure, the springs 10 will torce the covers apart.

11 is simply a cross-head guide hinged to one back strip, as and working between two guide flanges 12 on the other backing member to hohl the protective backstrips in parallelism, and also preventing the tubes 3 and S from being` completely withdrawn trom their respective guides-t and t) when the binder is loosened tor. the insertion or removal of new sheets.

ln Figs. 5 and (3, there is represented ascetional post binder, and also a manual-.lv and mechanically controlled wedging ball 7.

That is to say, the locking member il made of variable length by the insertion of one. or more sets ot' sections or couplers 145 has a button projection 17 extending up,r

through the sleeve 3 and backing so as to be easily pressed upon bythe thumb, this button and wedge 6 having a limited free sliding movement in sleeve 3 and against thc tension of s ring 16.' The lower lip of the opening in sleeve 3 is turned inwardly to provide a, stop 18 which is adaptedto arrest the motion of the ball 7 and support it whenever the button 1 7 and wedge 6 are pushed in to compress spring 16 and release the grip or the wedge against the ball'.

To operate this mechanism, lay the binder with the cover B down, and buttons- 17 up. To bring the coversA together, press on the top cover, which forces tube 3 inward and ycarvies wedge along with it, causing the ball 7 to roll back on the wedge 6 ,releasing tube 3 and tube 4. The moment the pressure isreleased on the covers, the ball 7 binds against the opposed faces of wedge 6 and the fixed tubular stud 4. To move thecovers A-B apart, so as to put in new leaves, or remove old ones, it is only necessary for the operator to press on the buttons 17, which'causes the wedge' 6 the buttons 17 the covers may be moyed to release the ball 7 from tube 4, the ball falling against the sto 18, thus .preventing the ball from binding etween the wedge 6 and .tube 4. As long as there is pressure on4 apart or together, at will. Releasing pressure on the buttons allowsv spring 16 to throw the wedge up and clamp the ball againstthe outer iixed tube 4', Ordinarily the buttons are used only to release the cov ers and separate them; while to lock vthe leaves 'in place, it is merely necessary to press the `two covers together, the operation being essentially similar to that of the sim- `pler form of device previously described in connection with Figs. 1 to 4. The spring 20 which is connected to the top cover cen trally of its ends, and also yieldingly connected with the studs 4, is compressed when the book is closed, and acts to cause the top cover A to rise when the buttons 17 are pressed in. In both instances shown, the locking device comprises essentially two telescoping members and a movable wedging member coperating to prevent the extension of the tubular members.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. In a loose-leaf binder, a locking'device comprising a pair of telescoping sleeve members, a fixed wedge in one member and a loose ball therein, said wedge-carrying member having a lateral opening opposite to the wedge to permit the ball to project there- G5 tween the two p osts, said wedging device be through and bind against the opposite member and prevent relative outward movement of the two members.

. 2f In a loose leaf binder, the combination of' front and back covers, a hollow post oni one cover, a tubular post on the'other cover telescoping with the first-named post, and a loose gravity-actuated wedging device be- 'panion post, to prevent the extension of said posts.

3. In a loose leali binder, the combination l of front and back covers, telescoping posts and a sliding wedge member carried by one post, said post having the portion opposite' the wedge member cut-away, and a-ball in one of the posts operable over the wedge rmember so `that its periphery may be eX- posed through thecut-away portion in the post to enable the ball to frictionally engage the inner wall of the companion post.'

4. In a loose leaf binder, the combination of front and back covers, telescoping posts and a sliding wedge member carried by one post, said post having the portion opposite the wedge member cut-away, a'ball in one of the posts 'operable over the wedge member so that its periphery may 'be l exposed `through the cut-away portion in the post to enable the ball t0 frictionally engage the in ner wall of the companion post, and a stop to limit the movement of the ball without binding, direction. Y

" 5. In a loose-leaf binder, the combination of front and back covers, telescoping posts, -a sliding wedge member carried by one post,

a ball acting on said Wedge member and through an opening in one post andl against the other post, a stop to limlt the movementof the ball, without binding, when the wedge is moved in one direction, and a spring acting on the wedge to move it in the otherdi.- rection so as to bind againstthe ball.

6. In a loose-leaf binder, vthe combination with the two covers, of hollow, telescoping posts .on the two covers, one post having a projecting button, said 'button carrying a wedge, and a locking device operative by said wedge. v

'7. In .aloose-leaf binder, the combination with the two covers, of hollow, telescoping posts on the two covers, one post having a projecting button, said button carrying a wedge, and a locking device operative by 'said wedge, said locking device comprising a ball housed within the wedge and operative through Ia slot in one post and against the inner walls of the other post.

8. In a loose-leaf binder, the combination with the two covers, .of hollow, ,telescoping posts on the two covers, one post having a 'projecting button, said button carrying a wedge, a, locking device operative by said wedge, said locking device comprising a ball housed within the wedge and operative through a slot in one post and against the' inner walls of the other post, and a spring operative on the wedge to move it outward. 9. In a loose-leaf binder, the combination when the wedge is moved in oneizo of two covers, l pair of posts on one cover telescoped by n' pau' of posts ou the opposlte cover, coperatlng;` Iocknlg' devlccs on the ptelescopilrg?r posts, und :1 bow-spring conn h1 testimony whorcoit' I have hereunto Set my hund 111 thc prcscncc olf two Suhscrlbulg i \\'itnos. cs.

JOHN GRIESINGER. Witnesses L. Moths, Mmmm L. Onou'rr. 

